Dholavira - hidden in history, preserved by nature.

This trip had been pending for a long time, and after the inauguration of the Road to Heaven, we were waiting for a full moon night that fell on a weekend. We finally got one on the weekend of November 15-17, which coincided with the full moon.
We started early in the morning on the 15th. Our plan was to drive to Dholavira via Viramgam, Sankheshwar, Radhanpur, Santalpur, and Lodrani, covering a total of 456 kilometers. The roads were fantastic, and between Santalpur and Mouvana, we took the Dholavira shortcut, which passes through the beautiful White Rann of Vauva. We reached Dholavira around 1:45 PM and checked in at Hotel Praveg Dholavira. After a delicious hot lunch at the hotel, we visited the ancient city of Dholavira.
Dholavira is one of the top five sites of the Harappan Civilization, and we must say that this place has a special vibe. In July 2021, UNESCO declared Dholavira a World Heritage Site, and it is arguably the best-preserved Harappan site among all. After spending two hours exploring the ancient ruins of Dholavira, we visited the sunset point and then returned to our resort to enjoy a local cultural program and dinner.
After dinner, we traveled to the White Rann to witness one of the most beautiful landscapes I have ever seen. Though I carried my Canon 80D, believe me, no camera can truly capture the beauty of the White Rann under a full moon. It’s a must-have experience and should definitely be on your bucket list.
The next day, after breakfast at the hotel, we traveled to Dhordo via the stunning Road to Heaven. On a winter morning, driving on this road feels surreal-you’ll understand why it’s called so. The narrow road appears to float on clouds, with no visible horizon on either side. We stopped multiple times just to soak in the surroundings.
Our first destination that day was Kalo Dungar, the highest point in Kutch, which is home to a beautiful Dattatreya temple. From there, we planned to visit Vighakot Fort. However, we discovered that traveling to Vighakot requires a permit from the BSF, so we could only go as far as the India Bridge without one. After taking some photos at India Bridge, we drove to Dhordo, the venue for the famous Rann Utsav.
At Dhordo, we had to fill out a form and collect a gate pass before proceeding to the desert. Unfortunately, this place was a bit of a letdown. The views and overall experience at Dholavira were far more captivating than what Dhordo had to offer.
At 5:30 PM, we started our journey back to Dholavira, enjoying the spectacular sunset along the Road to Heaven. The next morning, after breakfast, we returned to Baroda, concluding a truly memorable trip.
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